Since 1939, Marvel has created almost 8,000 individual characters. As such, it is not uncommon for them to reintroduce older character concepts with modern incarnations. Such is the case with one new hero, who has declared themselves the guardian angel of Iron Man. However, this hero is also notable for their association with the Thunderbolts and an infamous, currently deceased villain.
Written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Carmen Carnero, Iron Man #3 opens with Tony Stark in the middle of a firefight. Stark had been attempting to question MODOK, regarding a civil war brewing within AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics) and the disappearance of several scientists. However, Tony got stuck in the middle of one AIM faction’s efforts to assassinate MODOK.
Tony received some unexpected assistance from a masked Marvel hero in a familiar costume. The hero left after telling Stark that he was “a warning” and that the group he was with was watching Stark. Who this group is remains a mystery, but the masked man was dressed in the familiar costume of the patriotic hero Citizen V.
Marvel’s Citizen V explained
Citizen V first appeared in 1941’s Daring Mystery Comics #8. Originally, Citizen V was John Watkins, a British soldier who aided the French Resistance during World War II. Choosing the letter “V” for Victory for his code name, he and his followers signaled each other secretly by making the letter “V” with their hands. This group later became known as V-Battalion and continues to fight fascism globally across Marvel’s Earth-616 in the modern day.
Most of the original V-Battalion and John Watkins were killed by Baron Zemo near the end of World War II. However, the V-Battalion lived on, with spy Paulette Brazee becoming the second Citizen V. She was also the mother of John Watkins’ son, who took his father’s name and alias. So did his own son, John Watkins III. Several other members of V-Battalion also briefly assumed the name. However, the most famous version of Citizen V may be the most notorious.
Baron Zemo established the first Thunderbolts team with fellow members of the Masters of Evil pretending to be superheroes. Zemo himself took the name and costume of Citizen V, pretending to be a new incarnation of his old enemy. However, his scheme to gain the public’s trust before using their authority to take over the world failed after most of his team found they liked being heroes.
The most recent incarnation of Citizen V is Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. She took over the alias during Marvel’s One World Under Doom event, leading a new version of the Thunderbolts. It is unclear if the Citizen V who helped Iron Man is also Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine.
Tony Stark makes reference to the new Citizen V being a man and knowing it is not Baron Zemo. However, given Valentina’s considerable experience as a spy and agent of SHIELD, disguising her gender would be easy enough. Particularly with the full-body costume and mask making up the modern Citizen V costume.
Iron Man #3 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
